San Roque's Easter processions are some of the most important in the area and have been declared an 'Event of  Tourist Interest' by the Junta de Andalucia.

Many of the statues paraded around the streets of San Roque during Easter Week date back to the 16th century and the residents of San Roque brought them with them when they left Gibraltar and established their new town around the Shrine of San Roque after their hometown was occupied by the Anglo-Dutch forces during the War of the Spanish Succession.

There are several processions, but the highlight is the Good Friday procession which features floats with fourteen different images representing the Stations of the Cross, and is the only 'Magna' procession held annually in the whole of Andalucia.

Here is the full programme for Easter (subject to changes)

Friday 26th March - Via Crucis
Venerable and Ancient Brotherhood of The Most Holy Christ of the True Cross at Calvary (Christ of the Rains) will leave Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church (Santa María La Coronada) at 9.00 p.m. The procession will proceed along the following itinerary: Plaza de Armas, Castillo, Siglo XX, Plaza de la Iglesia, Rubín de Celis, San Nicolás, La Paz, Plaza Espartero, Vallecillo Luján, Santa Bárbara, Colón, San José, Los Reyes, Almoraima, San Felipe, Plaza de la Iglesia and returning to the temple at 11.00 p.m.

Sunday 28th March - Palm Sunday
Blessing of Palms and Olives will leave Our Lady of Visitation Chapel (Capilla de la Visitación) at 11.00 a.m. The procession will proceed along the following itinerary: Coronel Moscoso, General Lacy, Almoraima, San Felipe, Plaza de la Iglesia and return to the temple. The procession will be followed by a Mass of Passion.

Monday 29th March
Solemn Procession of The Venerable Guild of Our Father Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and The Most Blessed Mary of Extreme Sorrow will leave the New San Roque Chapel (Ermita de San Roque) at 7.30 p.m. The procession will proceed along the following itinerary: La Ermita, Fuentecilla del Soldado, Residencial La Ermita, Antonio Galiardo Linares, Hermosilla, La Ermita, Los Sargentos (between the flats), Alameda Alfonso XI, Plaza de Andalucía, San Felipe, Plaza de la Iglesia, and returning to the temple at 1.00 a.m.

Tuesday 30th March
Solemn Procession of The Venerable Guild of The Most Holy Christ of Humility and Patience and Our Lady of Hope will leave Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church (Santa María La Coronada) at 10.00 p.m. The procession will proceed along the following itinerary: Plaza de la Iglesia, Rubín de Celis, San Nicolás, Herrería, Aurora, Vallecillo Luján, Plaza Espartero, Navarra, San José, San Nicolás, Rubín de Celis, Plaza de la Iglesia, and returning to the temple at 1.30 a.m.

Wednesday 31st March
Solemn Procession of The Venerable Guild of Our Captive and Released Father Jesus and Our Lady of Ransom will leave The Holy Trinity Chapel (Capilla de la Santísima Trinidad) at 8.30 p.m.  The procession will proceed along the following itinerary: Vicente Aleixandre, Plaza Alonso Cano, Miguel Hernández, Plaza Manuel de Falla, La Cruz, Vallecillo Luján, Coronel Moscoso, General Lacy, Almoraima, San Felipe, Plaza de la Iglesia, and returning to the Parish Church at 1.30 a.m.

Solemn Procession of The Venerable Guild of Penance, Our Lady of Anguish (Youth Guild) will leave Our Lady of Visitation Chapel (Capilla de la Visitación) at 10.00 p.m. The procession will proceed along the following itinerary: Coronel Moscoso, Vallecillo Luján, Plaza Espartero, Navarra, Los Reyes, General Lacy, Terrero Monesterio, Plaza de Andalucía, San Felipe, Plaza de la Iglesia, and returning to the Parish Church at 1.30 p.m.

Thursday 1st April - Holy Thursday
A Holy Mass, the commemoration of the Last Supper. At Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church, at 6.00 p.m.

The Venerable Guild of Our Father Jesus The Nazarene and The Most Blessed Mary of Sorrows
The departure of the statue of The Most Blessed Mary of Sorrows from Our Lady of Visitation Chapel (Capilla de la Visitación) will be at 8.30 p.m. The procession will proceed along the following itinerary: Coronel Moscoso, Vallecillo Luján, Plaza Espartero, Navarra, Artillero, San Nicolás, Rubín de Celis, Plaza de la Iglesia, San Felipe and Plaza de Andalucía.

Departure of the statue of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene from Our Lady of Visitation Chapel (Capilla de la Visitación) will be at 9.00 p.m. The procession will proceed along the following route: Coronel Moscoso, General Lacy, Almoraima, San Felipe and Plaza de Andalucía.

The Holy Encounter at 11.00 p.m. in the Plaza de Andalucía. Once the Holy Encounter is over, the procession will proceed along the following route:
Plaza de Andalucía, Terrero Monesterio, General Lacy, Colón, San José, San Nicolás, Rubín de Celis, Plaza de la Iglesia, and returning to the Parish Church at 2.00 p.m.

The early hours of Good Friday - Silent Procession
The Illustrious Brotherhood of The Sacred Burial and Our Lady of Solitude
Departure of the statue of Our Lady of Solitude will be from Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church at 1.00 a.m. The procession will proceed along the following route:
Plaza de la Iglesia, San Felipe, Almoraima, Los Reyes, General Lacy, Terrero Monesterio, Plaza de Andalucía, San Felipe, Plaza de la Iglesia, and returning to the Parish Church at 3.00 p.m.

Friday 2nd April - Good Friday
The Holy Mass of the Passion and Death of Our Lord. At 1.00 p.m., in Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church.

The Magna Procession of The Holy Burial

Squadron of Roman Soldiers on horseback.
The Venerable Guild of Our Father Praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and The Most Blessed Mary of Extreme Sorrow.
The Venerable Brotherhood of Our Captive and Released Father Jesus (Medinaceli) and Our Lady of Ransom (Merced).
The Venerable Brotherhood of The Most Holy Christ of Humility and Patience and Our Lady of Hope.
The Venerable Guild of Our Father Jesus The Nazarene and The Most Blessed Mary of Sorrows.
The Venerable and Ancient Brotherhood of The Most Holy Christ of the True Cross at Calvary (Christ of the Rains).
The Venerable Brotherhood of The Most Holy Christ of a Happy Death and Our Lady of Distress.
The Venerable Brotherhood and Guild of Penance, Our Lady of Anguish (Youth Guild).
The Illustrious Brotherhood of The Sacred Burial and Our Lady of Solitude.
Religious and Local Authorities.
The procession will leave Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church at 5.45 p.m. The procession will proceed along the following streets: Plaza de la Iglesia, San Felipe, Plaza de Andalucía, Terrero Monesterio, General Lacy, Coronel Moscoso, Vallecillo Luján, Plaza Espartero, Navarra, Artillero,
San Nicolás, Rubín de Celis, Plaza de la Iglesia,  and returning to the
Parish Church at 10.45 p.m.

Saturday 3rd April.
The Holy Mass of the Resurrection of Our Lord. At 11.00 p.m., at the Saint Mary the Crowned Parish Church.

For images of this procession visit the gallery on our Facebook page HERE